'Mixed feelings' for Edwards as Bree heads to Saints although Town boss admits plans were in place for defender's exit

Hatters boss Rob Edwards admitted to having ‘mixed feelings’ over the departure of defender James Bree for Premier League side Southampton this evening.

The full back hadn’t missed a minute of Championship football this season, and was a key part of previous boss Nathan Jones’ side, whom he has reunited with at St Mary’s, and then Edwards’ team too, after he was appointed in November.

Bree’s assist have been a huge factor in Town’s challenge for the play-offs, setting up Elijah Adebayo’s thumping header against West Bromwich Albion recently, with another assist for Carlton Morris to score in the 3-0 win at QPR over the Christmas period.

Edwards hadn’t wanted the former Barnsley and Aston Villa player to leave, but knew that top flight football was too much to turn down, saying: “There’s mixed feelings on it because of course we want to continue to try and compete and win and have the best squad possible, but it’s a fantastic opportunity for James and it’s a wonderful thing for him.

"But what we have done and what this club has done for a number of years now before we were here is recruited well and had a succession plan.

"We were aware this could happen, and obviously we’ve tried to then act accordingly.

“That opportunity is fantastic for him, everyone’s ambitious and that’s the level that everyone wants to aim for.”